


i put a spell on you

by bloodsparks



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Compliant, Emotional Manipulation, Episode: s03e09 Malleus Maleficarum, Gen, Manipulation, POV Ruby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 00:47:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13019730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodsparks/pseuds/bloodsparks
Summary: Ruby shows up to warn Sam, but are her motives really to keep him safe?





	i put a spell on you

**Author's Note:**

> title from 'i put a spell on you' by screamin' jay hawkins

Ruby appears to them when she knows they're most vulnerable. 

Dean is upset about something, she can tell from the tense way he's driving, and Sam is on the verge of desperation when it comes to freeing Dean from his deal. It's a good time to strike, and the perfect time to set some unstable foundations in place. 

Getting the car engine to sputter doesn't take much effort at all, and she stands in front of them as it slows to a halt, the headlights blinking pathetically. Sam jumps out the second he recognises her, and Dean follows. As expected, the older of the two has his gun out and aimed right at her. She has no doubt that his shot will land perfectly, but as long as Sam is there, she won't have to worry about being hit. 

"Sam, listen to me," she says, urgency in her voice, "There's no time. You have to get out of town."

"What? What are you talking about?" Sam's hazel eyes are wide and filled with worry. 

Dean clicks the safety off the gun. "So this is Ruby, huh? Never had the pleasure." 

Sam looks at Dean, a gorgeous mix of horror and exasperation on his features. "Dean!" 

As much as she'd like, Ruby can't let Sam fight all her battles or it won't look real. She turns to Dean, malice in her eyes. "Point that thing somewhere else."

Dean laughs like he can't believe what she's asking of him, but Ruby isn't listening anymore. Looking right at Sam, she lowers her voice. Makes it sound more urgent; desperate. "Sam, please. Go. Get in the car and don't look back."

"Why?" Sam is pleading now, looking upset. "I don't understand."

"Hey, hot stuff," Dean is demanding her attention, and she gives it to him. "We can take care of a few kitchen witches, thanks."

Ruby glares at Dean with rage and pure irritation. She takes a step toward him, and he lowers the gun just enough that it points at the centre of her chest. She won't survive the hit if he pulls the trigger, but she doesn't have to worry. Sam is her protection and her wildcard, and she intends on using him until there's nothing more of him to use. "I'm not talking about witches," Ruby seethes, practically hissing. "Witches are whores. I'm talking about who they serve." 

She guesses that Sam will make the connection first, and he does. 

"Demons," he says softly, and then he looks at Dean with panicked eyes. "They get their power from demons." 

"Yeah," Ruby scoffs, "And there's one here now."

Dean laughs, a mocking and bitter sound. "Oh, you mean besides you?" 

She focuses her attention on Sam, blocking out Dean's yelling. She has to seem urgent, like she came all the way to warn them - to warn Sam. She needs him to think that she cares that much, that she's willing to betray her own kind's agenda to save him. As if she truly cares if a pair of brash hunters get a little roughed up. "Sam, it knows you're in town and it's gonna come after you and its _way_ more than you can handle." Her voice trembles as she speaks. 

The words sink into Sam so easily that the thinking he's undergoing is palpable. Ruby can practically see her influence seeping into his skin, spreading through his veins and infecting every other instinct he has that screams for him not to trust a demon. She's rewiring the way he thinks, and she's doing it very efficiently. Soon there won't be a need to show up like this and cause a scene. All she'll need to do is send him a text or give him a sign, and he'll do the rest on his own. 

It's so difficult to keep from smirking. She's the fucking best at what she does. 

Dean still isn't buying it, and is becoming more and more frantic the longer Sam stays silent and listens to what Ruby has to say. "Oh come on, what is this, huh?" He yells, looking incredulously at Sam, "Please tell me you're not listening to this crap!" 

The set-up has been perfect, but now it's time for the punchline. 

She has to think for a minute, has to choose the exact combination of words that'll deliver the final blow. It has to be demeaning and put enough distance between the brothers for her to snake her way into Sam's mind. Thankfully, Dean's ego has always been bigger than he can handle, and Ruby figures that an implication that Sam listens more to some demon chick than his own brother will do the trick. 

"Put a leash on your brother, Sam," she says slowly and deliberately, "If you wanna keep him."

It scores a three-pointer. Dean's expression changes into one of hurt and guilt, and Sam's panic rises just enough for him to make a hasty decision. 

"Dean, look, just chill out," Sam says nervously. He's still unwilling to cross the line and boss Dean around, but he's at least beginning to stand up to his brother in Ruby's defence. It's good progress, because if she wants to survive - and she does - she'll need to keep him as a shield. 

Dean is catching on. "No! No! She's messing with your head," he yells, turning to Sam, "God knows why, that's who they are!" 

Sam's stare wavers, and he looks mildly suspicious.

A defeated stare from Ruby turns things back around. "I'm telling you the truth," she tells him.  _Do you not believe me?_  

"And I'm telling you to shut up, bitch," Dean yells, getting between her and Sam. He's onto her, and fast, and she needs to find a key out of there before something unexpected happens. 

"I'm sorry, why are you even a part of this conversation?" Ruby takes another step closer to Dean, which unnerves him, but not nearly enough. She can't believe Sam isn't saying anything, and half of her is resigning to the fact that she'll have to try again another time. 

"He's my brother, you black-eyed skank!" 

And there it is. The weakness, the fatal flaw, revealed by Dean himself. Their brotherly bond, so strong and tight it gathers all kinds of unwanted attention and drags up old and new enemies, all waiting for them to undo themselves so they can pick off the scraps of whatever is left behind. Ruby ought to thank Dean, really. She was on the end of her rope, and he'd done her a favour by throwing her a new line. 

"Oh, right, right," sarcasm is dripping from her voice, and she crosses her arms over her chest, "You care about your brother so much. That's why you're checking out in a few months, leaving him all alone?"

Both Sam and Dean flinch, and it shakes Dean enough that he doesn't say anything more than a quivering, "Shut up."

Sam takes a step forward, toward Dean. Ruby is glad that he's responding, at least, but she needs him to come towards  _her_ , not Dean. That's why the next line has to be something big. She digs around, finds it, and lights the fuse. 

"At least let me try and save him, since you won't be here to do it any more."

Fury spreads over Dean's entire body, and he takes a step toward her. He's shaking as he yells, "I said shut up!" 

Ruby doesn't flinch even as he aims the Colt at her and puts his finger on the trigger. Sam will do something, she knows. 

True enough, before Dean can shoot, Sam lunges forward and pulls his arm back so he fires the shot meant to kill her into the night air. "Dean, no!" Sam shouts, breathing heavily as he no doubt continues to battle with himself and question his own motives as to what he's just done.

Ruby knows without a speck of doubt that there'll be a row between the brothers as soon as she leaves, but isn't that exactly what she came here to do? The seeds of betrayal and suspicion have been planted. Now all she needs to do is stop by every once in a while to water them. Their own differences and problems will serve as the ever-present sunshine. In a few months, there will be a beautiful harvest.

Game, set, match. 


End file.
